Printing machine



J. KRELL PRINTING MACHINE Nimh 26, 1929.

Filed Oct. 19, 1926 J. KRELI.

PRINTING MAQHINE Filed Oct, 19. 1926 l T:Ir

5 Sheets-,Sheet March 26, 1929.

J. KRELL PRINTING MAGMNE Filed oct. 19, 1926 s sheets-sheet 3 Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH KRELL, OF B-ERLIN-PNKOW, GERMANY..

PRINTING MACHINE.

Application' filed october 19, 1926, Serial No. 142,683,l and 'in Germany November 2, 1925.

My invention relates to a printing machine of the type in which printing .plates are fed to the printing station by means of a reciprocating feed block, and means are provided for locking the feed blockn in order to print repeatedly a given printing plate. It is an object of my invention to improve a machine of this kind and to this end so design the meansfor operating and locking the feed block that not only a plate may be printed a predetermined number of times, as in the old machine but the number of repetitions may be varied by adjusting .the locking means and that it is even possible to print a given plate as often as desired.

It is another object of my invention to combine an electro-magnetic control with the locking means which lnvolves the feature that the plates to be passed over remain at the printing station for a much shorter period than those that are to be printed and this saves much time as against the old machines in which the period for the printed platesv and the passed-over ones was the same.

It is another object of my invention to combine a machine of this type with a 'numbering device in addition to the printing mechanism which device isindexed forward automatically after each printing operation.

In a preferred embodiment of my machinel the feed block is alternately locked and released by means of a locking plate which is adapted to be tilted about a horizontal shaft, and cooperating with this plate I arrange a rotatable cam which is partly a complete cylinder and partly stepped at -various radii about t-heV axis of the cylinder. The cam is rotated stepwise by a ratchet wheel and a pawl which is moved in time with the printing mechanism. An adjustable arm is provided which when cooperating with one of lthe steps in the cam allows the locking plate to arrest' the feed block until the. desired number of printing operations has been performed whereupon the arm stop moves relatively upon the large-radius portion of the cam and throws out the locking plate so that the feed block is free tomove, on or, when permanently cooperating with the complete cylinder of the cam, permanently releases theffeed block, or, when disengaged' from the Fig. 1,

cam altogether, allows the plate to lock permanently the -feed block.

A pin is provided on the locking plate which throws out the pawl for the ratchet wheel when .the number of .printing operations correspondingr to a given step o the cam has been performed .and a pull-back spring is 'provided for returning .the cam to its initial position immediately after it has been released. y

In the drawings a machine equipped with my improved feed control is illustrated by waIy of example.

n the drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine show'- ing those parts the illustration of which is required for the understanding of the invention, I

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II in Fig. 1 showing the printing arm elevated,

Fig. 2*il is av section on the line IIL-IIa in Fig. 1, v

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the printing arm depressed,

Figs. 4 to 10 illustratedetails on a larger scale as follows:

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the locking plateA and the bracket on which it is fulcrumed,

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the rotary cam viewed as indicated by the arrow IVinFig.4, f'

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the bracket and plate viewed as indicated by the arrow V in Fig.' 4, showing the ratchet wheel before being indexed forward by its pawl,

Fig. '5EL shows the ratchet wheel arrested'v after having been indexed,

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI in showing the locking plate thrown out,

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the head of the printing arm show-ing it in the `positionfillustrated in Fig. 3',

, Fig'. 8 is a section on the'line VIII- VIII in Fig. 7

Figs.l 9 and 1 are plans, viewed from bel low, showing the means for. locking the numbering device in two positions.

Referring now to Fig. 1, e is the table of the machine on whicha printing arm a, 1s. arranged to rock. 39 and 40 are impression for printing and numbering, respecplatens both adapted-to be displaced in the tively,

head of the arm a. The means for imparting motion to the arm a and to its platens 39 and 40 are no part of the resent inven tion and therefore are not escribed and partly not shown.

b is a magazine for a supply of printing plates 2, c isa track, d' is a feed block for moving the printing plates along the track and to the printing station below the platens 39 and 40, g, g is a lever fulcrumed below the tableat f and connected with the feed block a? by a link at the end of its arm la., and is a bar which is linked to the other arm g and performs reciprocating motion as indicated by the arrow 56. The bar is connected with the printing arm a by means not shown.

The feed block al takes the plate at the base of the magazine from thesupply and pushes it forward byf which motion the printing plate at the other end of the row is fed to the printing station.

In Fig. 1,'the lever g, g is shown at the end of a forward stroke and in the position in which it starts on thereturn stroke as indicated by the arrow 2.l L is a pin or projection extending downwardly from the end of the lever g, 4 is the locking plate, and 4 isa check at one end of the p ate 4 which is adapted to be engaged by the pin or projection h.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, 4 is j the. locking latel which is adapted to rock about a sha t 3 in' a bracket 5 which is secured to the lower face of the table, the arrangement being such that the check 4 projects into the reach of the in'h on the end of the lever g when the fee block d' is in its initial position. 4,is a rearward extension which is heavier than the part of the plate in front of the shaft 3 and 6 is a spring on the shaft 3 which cooperates with the'weight 4" to hold the vplate 4 in such a position that its check 4 extends into the reacho the pin k as shown in Fig. 5. 7 is a shaft extending in parallel to the shaft 3 and at itsrear, 9 is a -cam on the right-hand end, and 8 is a ratchet wheel on the left-hand end' of the shaftv 7. 13 is a spring surrounding `the shafti?.

The cam 9 consists partly of 'a complete cylinder 9 and a cylinder 9 which is partly constituted bya face curved on the radius of the cylinder 9 and partly by steps 10, 11, and 12 which are curved on a smaller radius. The spring 13 tends to hold a shoulder on the cam 9 engaged with a pin 14 on 'the bracket 5.

15 is an arm or lever fulcrurned on the plate 4 in front of the shaft 3 which'projects to the rear beyond the shaft 3 and is adapted to cooperate with the cam 9 as will be de' scribed in due course.

The position of the arm 15 is adjusted by a handle 17 on the table e, as shown in Fig. 1, and a link 16.

tends to rotate the'cam 9 as indicated by the arrowl 22 in Fig. 6'. n The pawl is slotted at its end 23 and a. bar 23 is supportedl O n a pin 24 which projects from the weight 4".

When the plate is in its normal or locking position as shown in Fig. 5 the end 23 -of the pawl 23 is meshing with `the teeth of the ratchet wheel and when the plate is in its releasing position as shown in Fig. 6 the pawl is lifted out of the teeth by the pin 24.

27 is an angular lever which is fulcrumed on the bracket 5 of the plate 4 at,26, 28 is a spring which tends to hold the hook shaped end of the angular lever engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 8, 29 is a pin on the lever 27 which is engaged by the slotted end 30 of a rod 31 and this rod' as well as the pawl 23 is linked to the lower end of the printing arm a as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

33 is a bolt which is adapted to slide in a U-shaped bracket 32 surrounding the end of the stop 18, and 34 is a lever to which the other end of thebolt 33 is linked. 36 is an electromagnet forming part of the pass-over mechanism, and 35 is its armature which is secured to the lever 34. When the armature 35 1s attracted the end of the bolt 33 is withdrawn so as not to oe engaged by the arm 18, as shown in Fig. 4, and when the armature is released the bolt moves forward as indicated by the arrow 37 in Fig. 2a so that its end engages below the arm 18.

. 60 is a rod which is hinged to the plate 4 and permits the plate to be moved into the position of Fig. 6 by hand.

Theimpression platen 39 is displaced in the head of the printing arm a' by means which are operated when the electromagnet 36 is excited. These means, as mentioned above, are not a part of the presentinvention. During the mot-ion of the arm from 3, arranged in the table e. The paper etc. to

be printed is placed on top of the printing plate 2 and pressure is exerted thereon by the platens. 39 and 40 so that the matter on the printing plate and the number are printed on the paper etc. at the same time.

`The platens 39 and 40 are displaced in the head of theprinting arm a by cams 42, 43 which are connected by levers 44, 45 and a link 46 which is fulcrumedl on the lever 45 l and adapted to engage a pin on the lever 44 with its open eye. B- throwing out the link 46 the levers 45 and 44 may be disconnected. 47 is a tubular casing secured to the impression platen 40 and 48 is a bolt which is held down in said casing by a s ring 49,*as shown in Fig. 8. In-the vprinting position of the platen 40 the head 50 ofthe bolt 48 strikes the upper end of the indexing pin 51 ofthe number-printing device 41. The spring 49 'of the bolt 48 is so strong as to depress the pin 51 in normal operation of the machine so that the numbering deviceis indexed.

'lhe lower end of pin 51 projects from the table e and is adapted to a lever 52, 53 which is fulcrumed at 541so as to rock in a horizontal plane. The front end of the lever is engaged by the bar 55 of the lever g, g. When the lever is in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, that is, at the` end ofits forward stroke, the end 52 of the lever is below the end offthe pin 51 and prevents downward motion of the pin as shown in Fig. 10 but when the lever g, g

' is rotated in the direction of the arrow 2 excited. The means now moved forward and the bar 55 moves in that of the arrow 56, the end 52 of the lever is placed into the position illustratedv in Fig.A 9 in which it does not interfere with the downward motion of the pin l51. In this lcase th'bolt 48 i moves upward in its .casing spring 49 A cam 59 is formed at the end of the casing 47 and a handle 57 with a corresponding cam on its boss issecured on the upper against the end of the bolt 48 so that by turning the handle the bolt is moved out of reach of the pin 51.

The operation of my novel mechanism will now be described it being assumed that the electromagnet 36 and the numbering device 41 are also operative. In this case the arm 18 is adjusted into its central position, Fig. 4. Assuming further that each plate 2 is to be printed three times before it leaves the printing station. The arm 15 is then arranged opposite the step 11 as also shown t in Flg. 4.

As long as no printing plate has reached the printing stationthe electromagnet is not .for exciting the electromagnet form no With the electromagnet not excited its arniaturef' is in the position shown in full lines in Fig..2 and theiendy of the bolt 33 projects int'o the reach of the 'arm 18. This causes the locking plate 4 to beraised at its rear end and to be lowered at its front end, as shown in Fig. 6, and the check 4 will release the pin 1s The lfeedj block and feeds the printing plates 2 tothe printing station. As soon as the firstA printing plate 2 has arrived at the lI. of the lever g, g.

cooperate with because the pawl when its head strikes the pin 51.4

part of the invention "spring 6 on the'shaft 3 and .its check 4 will arrest the lever g, g. During the upward motion of the arm a the pawl 23 will rotate the ratchet wheel 8 for one tooth in the di rection of the arrow 22, Fig'. 6, and the cam f 9 will be rotated in lthe same direction. When the printing arm a has reached the upper end of its stroke the angular lever 27 will engage the ratchet wheel 8 and prevent the spring 13 from returning it into its initial"position. When the arm a: returns from its upward stroke the pawl 23 is withdrawn and engages behind the next tooth of the ratchet `wheel 8 shortly before the printing arm has completed its downward motion. The angular lever 27 will new also be released by its rod 31 but the ratchet wheel cannot return to its initial position 23 has already engaged the following tooth of the ratchet wheel. This operation is repeated for the next upward stroke of theprinting arm but, after the third impression has been made the cam 9 has lbeen rotated so far that the rear end of the arm 15 climbsthe large-radius part of the cam. Raising the rear end of the stop 15 causes a corresponding downward motion of the plate 4 into the position shown in Fig. 6 so that the check 4 releases the lever g, g and the feed block d is free to move the following printing plate to the printing station. At the same time the weight 4 lifts the end 23 of the pawl of the ratchet wheel through .the medium of the Ipin 24 so that now', when at the following downward motion of the printing arm 9 the ,13 andthe adjustmg mechanism is free to be set for another repeated printing operaion. s

l lVhen the. following plate at the printing station is also to be printed this operation is repeated, the feed block` being again arrested during three print-ing operations.

On the other hand when the following plate is passed over the electromagnet 36 will release its armature 35 and the ,bolt 33 will engage below the arm 18. This causes the locking plate 4 to assume the position in Fig. 6 in which it allowsl the feed block d to advance so that, notwithstanding the fact that the handle 17 has been set for three printing operations and the arm 15 is opposite the step 11, the late to be passed over remains at the printing station only during a single operation of the printing arm.

. So long as the feed block d is locked the are also marked with the same numeral.

When a vplate to be passed over moves through the printing station the numbering device is not indexed forwards because then' the impression platen 40 is in the position 4shown in Fig. 2 and the bolt 48 does not strike the pin 51 when the printing arm a is moved downwards. On the other hand, when the locking of the feed block has been released the lever g, g is rotated in the di-l rection of the arrow 2, the lever 52 is moved into the position of Fig. 9 and the pin 51 is released and may be depressed so that the numbering devicel is indexed for the following numeral.

When it is desired to printa given plate twice the stop 15 is placed opposlte the step! 10 of the cam 9, and when it is desired to print itfour times the arm 15 is placed opposite -the step 12. Obviously, any number of steps maybe provided on the cam in order to print the same plate live times, six times, etc. x

When the arm 15 is moved altogether out of lreach of the cam as indicated in dot-anddash lines in Fig. 4 the same plate will be printed again and again. When the cam 9 has performed four revolutions the end 23 of the pawl 23 will rise on a long tooth 8 of the ratchet wheel 8 and the annular lever 27 will engage a corresponding tooth 8" so that the spring 13 returns the ratchet wheel 8 into its initial position against the arrow 22 whereupon the ratchet is again rotated in the direction of the arrow but without the plate 4 being moved from its locking position in Fig. 5. y

0n the other handwhen the arm 15 is placed on the complete cylinder 9- of the cam 9 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 the plate 4 will be permanently held in the position of Fig. 6 so that the feed block is advanced after each printing operation and each plate 2 is printed once only.

If it is desired to'operate the machine without passing over of plates the electromagnet 36 is not excited at all and the arm'.

18 must be placed in the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4 in which sition it isbeyond reach of the bolt 33 and.

the position of the bolt has no influence on the operation of repeated'printing.

The-rod serves for enabling the feed block d to move the first printing plate 2 from the magazine Z) when the passing-over mechanism is cut out or eliminated, notwithstanding the fact that the arm 15 has already been placed in position for repeated' printing', for instance, it is in the full-lines position in Fig. 4, the plate 4 is moved into the release'positlon of Fig. 6 bv hand untll vmeans, a rockinglever adaptedto lock the first printing'plate has arrived at the printing station whereupon the plate 4 1s operated automatically as described.

I claim:

1. A printing .machine comprising .a frame, printing mechanism carried on sald frame, means for feeding printing plates to said printing mechanism, a plate adapted y with said plate for throwing out said ro hating means when the plate is not in locking position, and an adjustable arm adapted to cooperate withl said camto vary the period/in which said plate is held in its locking position, and subsequently to release said plate.

2. A printing machine comprising a frame, printing mechanism carried on said frame, means' for feeding printing plates to said printing mechanism, a plate adapted to be displaced with respect to said frame and to lock said feeding means, means tending to hold said plate in its locking position, a shaft in said plate, a ratchet wheel and a stepped cam secured on said shaft, means for rotating said ratchet wheel in timed relation with the operation of said printing mechanism, a pawl adapted to prevent backward rotation ofsaid ratchet wheel, means operatively connected with said printing mechanism for throwing out said pawl after said rotating mechanism has assumed its operative position, and an adjustable arm adapted to cooperate with said cam to vary the period in which said plate is held in its locking position and subsequently to release said plate. 4

3. A printing machine comprising a frame, printing mechanism carried on said frame, a numbering device operatively connected with said printing mechanism, means for feeding printing mechanism, a plate adapted to be displaced with respect to` said frame and to lock said feeding means, and means operatively connected -with said feeding means for locking said numbering device in its inoperative position while said feeding means are locked by said plate.

I 4. A printing machine comprising a frame, printing mechanism carried on said frame, a numbering device operatively connected with said -printing -mechanism, a plate ada ted to be displaced with res 'ect to said rame and to lock said feeding said ainst operation, and a ceding means with eid numbering device a bar connecting .sald

plates to said printing rocking lever so as to lock said numbering device While said-feeding means are locked by said plate. l

5. A printing machine comprising a 5 frame, printing mechanism carried on said frame, a numbering device, an impression platen on said printing mechanism operaf tively connected with said numbering device, a bolt adapted to slide on said platen 10 and to operate said numbering device, re-

silient means interposed between said bolt and said platen, means for feeding printing plates to said mechanism, a plate adapted to lock said feeding means, and means .operatively connected with said feeding means for locking said numbering mechanism'in inoperative position while said feeding means l' are locked by said plate.

In testimony whereof I affix' my signature.

' JOSEPH KRELL. 

